June 1, 2012 11:43am EDTMay 31, 2012 1:17pm EDTNo matter what playoff model chosen for college football's next TV contract, the payout will remain the same — and it could be double the value of the current deal.

SANDESTIN, Fla.—Even though there are distinct differences in the search for a college football postseason, the money generated will not vary depending on the playoff model, a BCS source told Sporting News.

The SEC and Big 12 currently favor a best four teams model to the new playoff, and the Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC favor a model that incorporates conference champions. The looming fight over the face of the new postseason will last through the next two BCS meetings in Chicago on June 13 and 20.

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But either way—or through any compromise—the money earned through new television contracts will dwarf anything the sport has seen in its history.

One BCS source said the new television contract could "more than double" the current deal.

“College football is hot,” a BCS source said. “Everyone wants a piece of it.”

That, more than anything, is why the payout for the new playoff won’t vary by model. College football not only is implementing a new system, it is creating a new championship game with specific advertising and marketing of the game—and a separate television contract.

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A BCS source told Sporting News earlier this week the new championship game will be separate from the bowls, and will be bid on annually. While current bowls cities can bid on the yet to be branded national championship game, non-bowl cities—such as Indianapolis—will bid, too.

The semifinals, while important in the new deal, are still the setup for the payoff of the championship game. ESPN, which currently holds rights to the BCS bowl games and national championship game through the 2013 season, will have serious competition for both the semifinals and the championship game.

CBS, FOX and NBC will also bid on the new postseason, and NBC—desperate to get more deeply into college football—could push the payout to a staggering level no matter the model.

A BCS source told Sporting News earlier this week “I think we end up with the three and one” postseason model.

The three and one proposal incorporates both conference champions and a wild card—if needed. If the first four teams ranked are conference champs, those four teams advance to the playoffs.

FROM SI

If three of the top four ranked teams are conference champs, a wild card is used to determine the fourth team in the playoff. If the three and one were in place last season, the four playoff teams would have been conference champions LSU (No. 1 SEC), Oklahoma State (No. 3 Big 12) and Oregon (No. 5 Pac-12), and Alabama (wild card).

In a best-four scenario, the playoff last year would have been No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 4 Stanford.

Notre Dame's access point to the new postseason still is being discussed—but there will be access.